Kids who benefit from structure - what kind?
Zoa Conner
I know some of you have kids who flourish more with some
amount of structure. What do your forms of structure look
like?
I have a 10.5 yob who I think is more peaceful and happier when
his days/week have some structure. By structure, I mean that
he knows certain activities happen at certain times, he has
events to look forward to, and fun things to prepare for. He
also has a strong need to have social interactions with people
other than just family (esp. Time away from younger sister). When we have
even one day completely at home with no friends or visitors,
he is quite unhappy (and then rude to his sister then the rest of us).
The challenge is that he is not interested in classes designed
for homeschoolers. He is a boy scout and enjoys those activities
and most of the other boys. The other group activities we know
about do not sound fun to him. We need some new ideas. I'd like
to hear about what structure looks like in your house. I am sure
it will get my creative juices flowing ...
Thanks!
----------------
Zoa Conner, PhD
Physicist and Organic Learning Mother
zoaconner@...
*Handmade stuff @ http://earthyzee.etsy.com
*LaPlata Area Food Delivery @ http://laplata-area-food.blogspot.com
http://zzz-organic.blogspot.com
amount of structure. What do your forms of structure look
like?
I have a 10.5 yob who I think is more peaceful and happier when
his days/week have some structure. By structure, I mean that
he knows certain activities happen at certain times, he has
events to look forward to, and fun things to prepare for. He
also has a strong need to have social interactions with people
other than just family (esp. Time away from younger sister). When we have
even one day completely at home with no friends or visitors,
he is quite unhappy (and then rude to his sister then the rest of us).
The challenge is that he is not interested in classes designed
for homeschoolers. He is a boy scout and enjoys those activities
and most of the other boys. The other group activities we know
about do not sound fun to him. We need some new ideas. I'd like
to hear about what structure looks like in your house. I am sure
it will get my creative juices flowing ...
Thanks!
----------------
Zoa Conner, PhD
Physicist and Organic Learning Mother
zoaconner@...
*Handmade stuff @ http://earthyzee.etsy.com
*LaPlata Area Food Delivery @ http://laplata-area-food.blogspot.com
http://zzz-organic.blogspot.com
Heather
The structure we have is mostly set up so that the kids can count on
being able to connect with other people in a regular way, and sometimes
to pursue interests that aren't as easy to do at home. We'd really love
to have it be more spontaneous, but leaving it that way usually ends up
in things not happening as often as my kids like.
Zoa Conner wrote:
gymnastics class, we've designed many different types of activities for
unschoolers- art classes, "free school"(that was a little open ended for
the other families!), playgroups, girls group, monthly book club, games
clubs, signed up for community sports, youth bureau classes.
This is what we do right now:
Sundays- ds youth orchestra rehearsal in nearby city- 1 hour away we
leave at 12:30 and get home at 6:00
Monday- ds Jazz band rehearsal at high school 2:30 - 4:00 pm
Tuesday afternoon
ds web programming class at the unitarian church(learning center class)
dd mother's helper job for 2-3 hours
Wednesday-
dd Art history 9:30 am
ds Basketball 10:30 am
dsS ocial Justice Video Series 12:45 - 3:00 pm
dd and ME! unschooling gathering- all ages
dd and ds 3:30 - 4:45 pm Cardboard boat building
dd and ds 7:00 pm Teen Movie Night
(all these are learning center classes except the unschooling gathering)
Thursday-
dd, ds, led by me: Drawing class 10:30 am
dd and me Girls Basketball 11:30 am
ds Socrates Cafe 12:30 pm
dd Apples to Apples club 1:30pm
all these at learning center
5:00 pm, ds mountain biking with his uncle
Friday might have a lesson, or another mother's helper shift - this week
ds has an audition.
Band practices on weekend evenings for ds, dd spends a lot of the
weekend with her cousins at the mall or each other's houses. Lots of
practise time at home for ds.
ds is 16, dd 12, BTW
so lots scheduled by kids choice- we look for opportunities everywhere.
--
Heather (in NY State)
being able to connect with other people in a regular way, and sometimes
to pursue interests that aren't as easy to do at home. We'd really love
to have it be more spontaneous, but leaving it that way usually ends up
in things not happening as often as my kids like.
Zoa Conner wrote:
>We've had weekly lessons, weekly group music activities, weekly
>
> I know some of you have kids who flourish more with some
> amount of structure. What do your forms of structure look
> like?
>
>
>
>
gymnastics class, we've designed many different types of activities for
unschoolers- art classes, "free school"(that was a little open ended for
the other families!), playgroups, girls group, monthly book club, games
clubs, signed up for community sports, youth bureau classes.
This is what we do right now:
Sundays- ds youth orchestra rehearsal in nearby city- 1 hour away we
leave at 12:30 and get home at 6:00
Monday- ds Jazz band rehearsal at high school 2:30 - 4:00 pm
Tuesday afternoon
ds web programming class at the unitarian church(learning center class)
dd mother's helper job for 2-3 hours
Wednesday-
dd Art history 9:30 am
ds Basketball 10:30 am
dsS ocial Justice Video Series 12:45 - 3:00 pm
dd and ME! unschooling gathering- all ages
dd and ds 3:30 - 4:45 pm Cardboard boat building
dd and ds 7:00 pm Teen Movie Night
(all these are learning center classes except the unschooling gathering)
Thursday-
dd, ds, led by me: Drawing class 10:30 am
dd and me Girls Basketball 11:30 am
ds Socrates Cafe 12:30 pm
dd Apples to Apples club 1:30pm
all these at learning center
5:00 pm, ds mountain biking with his uncle
Friday might have a lesson, or another mother's helper shift - this week
ds has an audition.
Band practices on weekend evenings for ds, dd spends a lot of the
weekend with her cousins at the mall or each other's houses. Lots of
practise time at home for ds.
ds is 16, dd 12, BTW
so lots scheduled by kids choice- we look for opportunities everywhere.
--
Heather (in NY State)
Latha Poonamallee
My work schedule provides a natural structure for us but this varies with the semester. I am also not required to be on campus for more than fifteen hours (tops) on any given week and so there is quite a bit of wiggle room.
During the last academic year (mine, not his!), our schedule was like this.
Monday - Art & Music work with his favorite teacher, 3 hours with his babysitter when I teach alternate monday nights.
Alternate Tuesday nights - babysitter
Wednesday AM - babysitter (my office hours)
Thursday 1 - 2.30 pm (Open swim with homeschooling families followed by gymtime) followed by lunch at our favorite place and shopping at the co-op
Friday - 3 - 4. 30 pm (Chess/Drama club with homeschooling families followed by gym time)
Friday evening or Saturday AM - Library visit
Sunday - Tennis/playdate with schooled friends
I don't know if the structure helped him (as in reducing anxiety,
providing stability), but it helps me to get out of the house. I could
happily spend days without getting out of the house and as the sole
companion to a single child, it would be easy (for me) to get into a rut of
screen time, books and board games in front of the fireplace, but my son is
really physical and social and so active time with other kids was really helpful. So, although we went skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing a lot, gym and swim time with other kids was a lifesaver in our 'really long' winter. He is also not fond of group classes and so the open swim gave him a context to hang out with other kids and swim rather than be in a structured class setting. We also built a sled hill in our backyard this year, so we could play outside a little bit every day even if we didn't feel like hitting the trails.
I am not yet sure about how this summer is going to transpire for us. We arrived in India early this week and will be here all summer. It is really hot during the day so that precludes us from doing outdoorsy stuff. So far he has sleeping his jetlag off and riding his bike that his grandparents bought for him and watching TV. We will probably go to the beach in the evenings and travel a bit, but other than that, everything is up for grabs.
Hope this helps
Latha
During the last academic year (mine, not his!), our schedule was like this.
Monday - Art & Music work with his favorite teacher, 3 hours with his babysitter when I teach alternate monday nights.
Alternate Tuesday nights - babysitter
Wednesday AM - babysitter (my office hours)
Thursday 1 - 2.30 pm (Open swim with homeschooling families followed by gymtime) followed by lunch at our favorite place and shopping at the co-op
Friday - 3 - 4. 30 pm (Chess/Drama club with homeschooling families followed by gym time)
Friday evening or Saturday AM - Library visit
Sunday - Tennis/playdate with schooled friends
I don't know if the structure helped him (as in reducing anxiety,
providing stability), but it helps me to get out of the house. I could
happily spend days without getting out of the house and as the sole
companion to a single child, it would be easy (for me) to get into a rut of
screen time, books and board games in front of the fireplace, but my son is
really physical and social and so active time with other kids was really helpful. So, although we went skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing a lot, gym and swim time with other kids was a lifesaver in our 'really long' winter. He is also not fond of group classes and so the open swim gave him a context to hang out with other kids and swim rather than be in a structured class setting. We also built a sled hill in our backyard this year, so we could play outside a little bit every day even if we didn't feel like hitting the trails.
I am not yet sure about how this summer is going to transpire for us. We arrived in India early this week and will be here all summer. It is really hot during the day so that precludes us from doing outdoorsy stuff. So far he has sleeping his jetlag off and riding his bike that his grandparents bought for him and watching TV. We will probably go to the beach in the evenings and travel a bit, but other than that, everything is up for grabs.
Hope this helps
Latha
--- On Tue, 5/5/09, Zoa Conner <zoaconner@...> wrote:
From: Zoa Conner <zoaconner@...>
Subject: [unschoolingbasics] Kids who benefit from structure - what kind?
To: "unschoolingbasics" <[email protected]>
Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 9:59 PM
I know some of you have kids who flourish more with some
amount of structure. What do your forms of structure look
like?
I have a 10.5 yob who I think is more peaceful and happier when
his days/week have some structure. By structure, I mean that
he knows certain activities happen at certain times, he has
events to look forward to, and fun things to prepare for. He
also has a strong need to have social interactions with people
other than just family (esp. Time away from younger sister). When we have
even one day completely at home with no friends or visitors,
he is quite unhappy (and then rude to his sister then the rest of us).
The challenge is that he is not interested in classes designed
for homeschoolers. He is a boy scout and enjoys those activities
and most of the other boys. The other group activities we know
about do not sound fun to him. We need some new ideas. I'd like
to hear about what structure looks like in your house. I am sure
it will get my creative juices flowing ...
Thanks!
------------ ----
Zoa Conner, PhD
Physicist and Organic Learning Mother
zoaconner@comcast. net
*Handmade stuff @ http://earthyzee. etsy.com
*LaPlata Area Food Delivery @ http://laplata- area-food. blogspot. com
http://zzz-organic. blogspot. com
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